We?ll all have seen the shocking footage of floods across Europe and in London last month. Whilst it is hard to pin climate change as the cause for individual extreme weather events, it does greatly increase the likelihood of such events occurring, and scenes like the ones we saw in London and Europe will become much more commonplace if nothing is done to prevent it.
In Nottingham we want to become the first carbon neutral city in the UK by 2028, and we have already taken huge strides to achieve this ? 46% of hackney and 69% of private hire vehicles in the city are ULEV, 30% of the City Council?s fleet is ULEV, over 14,500 new trees have been planted since 2019 towards our goal of 50,000 by 2023, over 4,000 social housing properties have solar panels, and more.
But in order to achieve our goal, we also need your help. Small actions can have a huge impact and by making some simple changes you can help us create a more sustainable future for Nottingham, and it can also benefit you! Switching to LED bulbs can save up to 90% on your energy costs, walking or cycling instead of driving for short journeys to save on fuel, using reusable bags for your shopping instead of buying new ones and other small changes can make a world of difference if we all do the same.
Read more about what we have done so far to reach Carbon Neutral 2028, and what steps you can take to help us get there, here.
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We?ve been working hard in Nottingham to get as many people as possible vaccinated against Covid-19. The reason is simple: the vaccine could save your life.
The virus hasn?t gone away. We are still seeing people being admitted to hospital with Covid-19 ? with some so sick they are having to be treated in intensive care. Sadly, people are still dying in the city because of the virus. The sad fact is, many of these people are unvaccinated. They could have taken steps to protect themselves. On one day last week, Nottingham?s hospitals had 19 people in intensive care with Covid-19? and 17 of those were unvaccinated.
On Saturday I joined my colleagues Cllr Toby Neal, Cllr Adele Williams and Cllr Linda Woodings knocking on doors in the community to encourage people to get vaccinated. I know that some people have worries or doubts ? but it?s an important conversation to have. I tell them that the jab is quick and easy and we have vaccination sites open long hours all over the city. I?m pleased to say that the response has been good. I won?t apologise for doing everything I can to protect our citizens. Every person who gets vaccinated could be making a potentially lifesaving decision.
The full list of vaccination centres and opening times can be found here: https://nottsccg.nhs.uk/covid-19/covid-19-vaccinations/where-to-go-for-your-covid-19-vaccination-appointment/
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Our parks have been wonderful refuges during the pandemic, giving us a welcome opportunity to connect with nature and enjoy the fresh air. Highfields Park, where the City Council has recently carried out some great improvements with the help of the Heritage Lottery Fund, has been a popular attraction for the local community for the last century. Now a new outdoors audio artwork has been launched by Lakeside Arts, located on the park, taking people on a journey through the seasons to imagine how the park and its users have changed over 100 years.
It sounds like a great new way to experience and enjoy the park. All you need is a smartphone, a pair of headphones and comfortable shoes to take in the 45-minute journey to four benches around the lake. Each of the different tracks can be accessed via QR codes at Lakeside Arts, on each of the four benches and via the Lakeside Arts website.
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The city welcomes international cricket back to Trent Bridge today, with England versus India - the first Test match at Trent Bridge since 2018. It?s always a wonderful boost for the city when the cricket is on and we hope visitors will enjoy their time here safely. It?s almost a complete sell-out but there are still a few tickets left to snap up if you are lucky. For those fortunate enough to have tickets, Trent Bridge has produced a wonderful guide full of all the information you might need for your visit.
I would also like to congratulate the Trent Rockets on their success to date in the brand new competition The Hundred. England Captain Joe Root will be hoping that some of the magic he has managed to produce will carry over into the five-day game. The Hundred is an amazing chance to see players from England?s men and women?s teams alongside many other international stars. Both Trent Rockets teams are riding high at the moment and the competition will return to Trent Bridge for matches on Friday 13 August vs Birmingham Phoenix, and Sunday 15 August vs Manchester Originals. These matches are both sell-outs but you can enjoy the action (including some great live music) and cheer the city?s teams on with live broadcasts on BBC2 and Sky.
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Please click?here?for some of the answers to questions we?ve been asked about what you should do, and what we are doing, to respond to Coronavirus.
For all the latest news from Nottingham City Council visit our website: www.mynottinghamnews.co.uk
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